Posted on June 11th, 2015
Nature is unpredictable, which means there are bound to be a ton of curve balls thrown your way along your landscape maintenance journey. Some of the most frustrating lawn problems that can occur are fungal diseases, as they can spread quickly and are often difficult to treat. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the preventative measures that you can take to keep your lawn safe, as well as treatment methods for lawns that are already infected.
So, how can you identify a fungal disease in the first place? The number one indicator that your lawn is suffering from a fungal disease is discolored or frayed glass blades. Here are some of the most common symptoms that you should look out for:
Now that you know how to identify the problem, your next step is to prevent and treat it. Here are a few ways to prevent and treat the presence of a fungal disease:
Test the soil. Testing your soil regularly can help to identify nutrient deficiencies and can also play an important role in diagnosing a fungal disease. Professional lawn care specialists, like those at Turf Unlimited, should be able to decipher the issue you are dealing with right from a soil reading.
Aerate and top-dress. Aeration should be performed landscape-wide every 1-2 years, while top-dressing can be done more frequently in patches. Aeration will loosen up the soil, and raking a new layer of top-dressing into it will allow for better drainage, preventing the ability for disease to take hold.
Time your lawn watering. Watering earlier in the morning allows for more dry time during the day, which reduces the opportunity for fungus to thrive. One inch of water per week is standard, but be sure to take rainy days into account as well.
Mow often. The best practice for any type of preventative lawn care is to keep your grass cut long. Many people believe that shorter is better, but scalped lawns actually lack proper protection and are therefore more susceptible to disease. Make sure to wash and disinfect your lawn mower after each use so that you don’t spread the disease to other parts of your yard.
Use fungicides. In severe cases, fungicides may be necessary. For the best results, try to use organic products that are specifically designed to treat the grass disease that you’re trying to combat.
If you have a lawn fungal infection to tackle and need a hand, just give Turf Unlimited a call at 888-649-9919. Our team of skilled professionals are some of the most knowledgeable in the industry and are licensed by both the state of Massachusetts and the state New Hampshire. We guarantee our service 100%, and will work with you until you’re completely satisfied!
